Witnessing the emergence of a few weeds in your garden is pretty normal but it is very easy for these unwanted plants to spread quickly. There are many people who believe that leaving a small amount of weeds is a good idea, but the fact is that they are not easy to control unless you make some special borders to keep them in one place. So, it makes more sense to get rid of them. The summer is approaching and this is the ideal time to start this process.

Spring is the season when weeds reappear and unfortunately they tend to appear everywhere. The good news is that instead of digging and compromising the soil, you can eliminate weeds with the non-invasive method of mulching. To counteract weeds It is good practice to make elevated beds made of compost in the winter period. However, this method doesn’t guarantee the blockage of the growth of perennial weeds that have proven to be very persistent. Bindweed is one good example of that, but mulching can be helpful even in cases like this.

Compost is an efficient and effective method of combating weeds. The roots and leaves of the weed will keep decomposing beneath the compost and at the same time, the plants that you want to thrive will keep growing freely. A compost of about 6 inch thickness should eliminate perennial weed while annual weeds will be eliminated under 3 inch compost.

Weeds are the bane of many a gardener’s life but if you react in a timely manner, you will be spared from the trouble later. Make sure that you are taking regular care of your garden and you will enjoy a weed-free summer in your garden.

If you need help with weeding and general garden maintenance, please do not hesitate to contact us.

If you want to enjoy your garden in summer, you must prepare it before the warmer months arrive and the season starts in earnest.

During the spring, it will rain regularly, which means that you don’t need to be concerned about cutting grass and watering the plants. Of course, if for some reason spring is not rainy, you should get involved in these activities. When it comes to cutting grass, observe the growth rate of grass and cut it when the days are dry. A non-electric cutter allows you to cut the grass even when the days are wet. Of course, this activity requires more effort.

Instead of waiting for the summer to plant some flowers, shrubs and other plants, you should do this in winter or spring when the prices are usually lower. This is a good way to save some money. If the plant must be planted outside in summer, you can always plant them in a pot first and keep them inside your home until summer arrives.

Furthermore, you must take special care of the weeds. You will need adequate equipment and tools to do this job. Trowels are probably the basic tool you’ll need in this process. With the help of a hoe you will be able to remove even the largest weeds. If the weeds are too dense in some areas, you can also use commercial or home made weed killers.

When you clear the garden and remove the weeds, it is the right time to evaluate your lawn’s condition. It is very likely that after the winter, your lawn will need some attention. If you want to have a lovely garden during summer, you should not skip this part. Purchase some high-quality fertiliser and manure (in your local store or online) and use it in the soil with the help of a spade and pitchfork. By doing this, you will provide the necessary nutrients and make the soil very fertile – ideal for the growth of veggies and plants.

If you need any help in getting your garden ready for summer, please contact us now.

Unfortunately, trees can get sick and when they are sick, they can become quite dangerous. Stressed and diseased trees become weak and they can collapse suddenly, creating a lot of damage around them and potentially causing a fatality if someone happens to be in the vicinity of the tree at the time. So, in light of this, learning more about identifying a sick tree can be quite useful.

There are many different diseases that attack trees and, on top of that, there are a wide variety of tree species and each of them can be prone to a specific type of disease. Here are some examples:

Ash tree – The disease that commonly occurs in ash tree is called Ash Dieback. Some of the signs of this disease are rapid loss of leaves and decreased density in the crown of the tree. The leaves can turn dark or even black in spring. So far, specialists have not found a successful treatment, but there are some things that we can do to slow down the progress such as removing infected branches and burying or composting them.

Oak trees – Acute oak decline is the most frequent disease in oak trees. One of the first signs of the presence of this disease (that can completely destroy oak trees in five years) is the dark liquid that comes out from the bark. If there is an increase presence of insects this may be another sign of acute oak decline.

Horse chestnut trees – these are affected by different diseases and disorders. One of the most serious ones is called Bleeding Canker. This disease leads to cracking and damage in the bark. A dark substance filled with bacteria will drain from the bark and the tree can die very quickly.

Elm trees – elm trees can be affected by Dutch elm disease which results in rapid change in the colour of leaves – they first turn yellow, then brown. In order to determine whether the tree is infected or not, it is the best to break a twig and see whether there are brown stains inside the wood.

If you have a sick tree in your garden and need professional advice, then please contact us now.

There is no doubt that losing a scrub or tree is a very frustrating moment for every gardener and this is especially true if the plant was costly or if there is a sentimental attachment to the tree or shrub. If this has happened to you then the first thing you to have to do is find out how you can tell whether the tree/shrub is dead or not?

This may sound like an odd question, but there are situations in which they look like they are dead, but they are actually alive. The simplest way to check their condition is to use your nail or a simple penknife to scratch the bark a little bit. If the stem is green then they are still good. A stem that’s brown indicates death. You should perform this procedure on the shoots and close to the roots.

It is very important to understand that there are cases in which even expert gardeners witness the death of their new plants so don’t be too harsh on yourself if this happens to you! However, in most cases, if you take good care of them, they should grow and make progress. Let’s take a quick look at plants in the ground and plants in containers and see why they sometimes fail to grow.

The first category usually fails to grow due to improper moisture in the soil and watering. The soil can be either too dry or too wet. In addition, sometimes people plant their trees and scrubs too deep in the ground and the stem base simply rots. In addition, certain animals like rabbits and rodents can damage the plants.

When it comes to plants in containers, besides the aforementioned problems they can also suffer from frosted roots or from the use of inadequate (too large) containers.

Having a garden is a wonderful thing. You can use your garden to enjoy your free time, plant trees and shrubs, exercise and simply take a break from your everyday duties. However, in order to fully enjoy the benefits of having a garden you must take good care of it and this takes time. If you’re looking for an easier life then follow these 5 methods that will help you create a low-maintenance gravel garden.

#1. Prepare the area

The first thing that you should do is to prepare the area by eliminating all or almost all of the planting located on the borders. If you want to keep some plants, set them aside.

#2. Putting an edge

The next step is focusing on the lawn. You must determine the lawn borders and use the area within the border for planting. In order to mark this area, you will need to highlight the edges. If you skip this step, you will risk injuries from gravel whenever you trim the edges with your mower. Most people choose monoblock strip for the edging. These monoblocks are not big and they look attractive, so they can easily blend in. You need to place them in a mortar base. If everything is done properly, the monoblock will be located under the level of lawn and slightly above the level of gravel, keeping the gravel where it should be. When you edge the gravel area, you can start planting.

#3. Border preparation

Dig slightly over the border in order to bring more air in the soil and to ease your task. It is also a good idea to use fertilisers at this point because using this product later will be much more difficult. At the end, make sure that the soil is even.

#4. Planting borders

Choose the plants that you want to use and group them. By doing this you will get small floral islands and you will still get the visual effects of the gravel.

#5. Use the gravel

The final step is to put the gravel on the soil. Remember that there are different types of gravel, so use the one that you find most attractive.

Before you hire a gardening company to do some work in your home, you must make sure that you hire the best possible company for doing such a job. The following tips should help you decide in choosing the perfect gardening company to do the work for you.

Does the company have proper insurance?

Reliable companies with a good reputation will have full insurance for public liability. This type of insurance covers possible accidental damage, and good companies will have no problems showing you their certificate for insurance either by e-mail or in printed version.

Do they have previous references and testimonials?

By checking out the experiences of other people about the business you plan to hire, you will get a general idea about how they work. Always look for references, testimonials, customer complaints or comments about the company. Social platforms are pretty good places to check out the company reviews and form your opinion.

Does the company provide a written quotation?

E-mailed or written quotations are very important, so you can be certain about what type of service you will get for your money. A verbal quote is sometimes ok but a written quotation is always better. The purpose of the quotation is for you to see a detailed description about the work that should be done, along with the proposed costs and expenditures.

These are some basic tips to have in mind before hiring a company, although there are many others. Regardless which company you choose, always ask questions and look for their previous work and experience. Reliable companies will always be happy to gladly respond to your questions and clarify things for you.

At Garden Busters we would be happy to show you our insurance certificates, references and testimonials and we will always provide you with a written quotation before commencing any work. Contact us now to discuss your gardening requirements.

The colours of autumn leaves are very beautiful and many artists use these colours as an inspiration to create paintings, photographs or even songs. However, these leaves will reach the ground sooner or later and for keen gardeners, they can soon start to become a problem. This is the time when people usually start gathering the leaves and try to get rid of them as soon as possible. However, only a small percentage of homeowners are aware of the fact that these autumn leaves can be used more effectively than simply throwing away.

Turn them into compost

Autumn leaves are an ideal addition to the compost heap. They won’t break down very fast, but you can speed up this process by covering the leaves with an old carpet for increased heat and by spreading the leaves in a wider area. You can also cut them in smaller pieces. Autumn leaves are great garden compost that can be used in spring.

Using autumn leaves as mulch

In case you have some winter plants in your garden (winter cabbage, kale etc.) you can shred these leaves and place them in the form of a layer around them. As they slowly break down they will bring the necessary nutrients in the soil and make your winter plants stronger.

Create leaf mould

In case you didn’t know, a leaf mould is a special material that consists of rotting leaves that is placed on top of a soil that is very dense and difficult for the plants to grow on. A leaf mould will soften the soil and make it more fertile.

Use your lawnmower

If you are not a big fan of raking, you can always use your lawnmower. In this way you will practically mow the autumn leaves in the lawn and improve the quality of soil.

Autumn is just as important for your garden as any other season, and we have provided a few vital tips you can use to get your garden ready.

1 Plants that don’t like the season should be moved indoors.

To keep your plants looking fresh and so they can last through the harsher months, consider moving them indoors. Winter comes pretty quickly, so it will give you plenty of time to protect your plants before the colder months come.

2 Protect your plants

For plants that can’t be moved indoors, wrap them in season-proofed materials and prop up stems with sticks so they are as protected as they can be from wind, rain, and snow.

3 Preen, prune, and bin!

Clean up your garden and dead-head your plants. Collect any seeds and harvest any fruits or vegetables. Trim any hedges and trees you might have – especially if you live somewhere known for heavy snow, as this will make it easier for you once bad weather hits.

4 Harvest

Harvesting and trimming your plants allows them to flourish in the winter months, giving you a beautiful garden even in colder weather.

5 Plant

Autumn is the time to plant your spring collection! Get sowing and look forward to when the first buds start to grow in the New Year.

6 Enjoy the last of your summer garden! (Until next year)

Phew, all that work deserves one last look at your flowering plants on a mild day. Grab your camera and take some photos for before and after pictures!

Weeds are the bane of every gardener’s life. And the problem multiplies if you do nothing about it and its starts to get out of control. So, here are 5 great tips that will help you control your weeds effectively and make your garden look lush green and properly maintained:

Usage of weed killers may be very effective if used at the right time of the year. To make weed killers more effective, you need to use them when the weather conditions are stable. Usually, the time period between March and September is ideal for using weed killer. One reason being that the weeds have increased on the surface area and will absorb the spray and the second being that the spray will not drift away and affect the other plants.

After replanting an area when you have cleared the weeds, apply more of the weed killer to the soil in an appropriate amount so that it mixes with the soil and stops further re-growth of the weeds. But make sure that the amount of weed killer used is limited so as not to make the soil completely infertile.

If there are climber weeds in your garden, gently unwind them and spray a weed killer like Glyphosate to the affected areas in proper proportions without causing harm to other plants.

Make sure you mix and add the proportions of weed killers according to the area you want to use it on. Use hand sprayers if the area is small and concentrated formulas to apply to larger areas.

To get the best results, use the weed killer when the soil is moist so that it absorbs the weed killer to the maximum extent providing your garden a long lasting treatment.

Testimonials

I just wanted to thank you for the excellent work that Jason Buck did today, cutting back shrubs and clearing piles of leaves. It was a huge job and he must have worked incredibly hard. I’m delighted with the result and look forward to contacting you again soon!

Deborah ClementsEdgbaston

Thank you so much for funding the very smart new gates at Woodbourne.They really do improve the appearance and safety of the club.We are so very grateful for all of the help you have given us.Sue BarnardSecretary, Management Committee

Thank youWoodbourne Sports and Social Club

We had three young men come and cut our hedges and tidy up the gardens on Tuesday. We would like you to pass on our thanks, as they did a fantastic job!

Caretech

We are always impressed with their professionalism and attention to detail…I have no hesitation in recommending the Busters Group to anyone.

Mettis Aerospace

I am very pleased with the job that has been carried out by Gardenbusters.The site was left very tidy and the team even turned up in the rain to carry out the work.I will be using Gardenbusters again!Thanks

Alan LastEarlswood

‘I am very pleased with the work carried out last week by Gardenbusters. The workers were all so polite, kind and helpful and they did an excellent job. I cannot thank you enough!’

Mrs Gardiner, Stratford-Upon-Avon Sept 2014

The Garden Maintenance Provided by Gardenbusters is Top Notch! The best part about the services of Gardenbusters for me, is the level of knowledge they possess and the professionalism with which they carry out the work. It is not something you see every day. The people who come for the garden maintenance know their job. Everything is taken care of and they even educate us for future care. We have always used the services of Gardenbusters for our properties in Birmingham, Coventry & Solihull. We …